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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fine · firm · rush · coach · key · pit · calf · scale

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. key — the most important part
  4. fine — high quality
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. scale — size or range
  11. pit — a hole
  12. fine — all right
  13. pit — in a race
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. rush — hurry
  17. scale — in music
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. firm — steady
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. key — in music
  22. key — for a lock
  23. firm — decided
  24. calf — a young animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com